Tuscany; Italy
Nittardi dates back to the 16th century. The property was owned by Michelangelo Buonarroti who, in 1549, while finishing the Sistine Chapel, wrote to his nephew Lionardo: “I’d prefer two casks of wine rather than eight shirts.” On that same occasion, Michelangelo also sent Nittardi wine to Rome as a “genuine gift to the Pope Paolo III”. Today, in honour of that tradition, every year the first bottles of Nectar Dei, the top wine from their Maremma vineyards, are presented to the Pope. Nittardi has become one of the finest wine producers in Tuscany. They have the original vineyards in the Chianti Classico zone and vineyards in the Maremma, the coastal part of Tuscany where the great Super Tuscans come from Like Sassicia and Ornellaia. Their winemaker is the great Carlo Ferrini, possibly the finest maker of Super Tuscans and Brunello in all of Italy. He makes some of the greatest wines: Casanova di Neri Brunello, Fonterutoli, Orma, Sette Ponti, Brancaia, Brolio, Petrolo and La Massa and he makes Nittardi. The wine comes from the all-time great 2021 vintage for Tuscany, considered one of the finest ever from Tuscany getting 98pts Wine Spectator and Decanter, “One of Bolgheri’s finest ever vintages.”
Today I bring you this great wine, the 2021 Nittardi ‘Nectar Dei’ . Nectar Dei is the super premium of Nittardi and is made at their Maremma property. The wine is absolutely glorious, big rich and opulent. layer upon layer of black fruits, interwoven with new oak, superb now but with the great, will perform superbly in the cellar. Monster scores matched with a great price. Super Tuscans are on the up, increasing in value, out performing all others. This is incredibly strong buy! Taste the difference!